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Chapter 402 - Four Hundred And Two: Numb

Someone else is happier with less than you have

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Reina\'s point of view:

Too many times people don\'t realize what they have because they are out there looking for something better. The problem is that when they do realize it, they will come crawling back. Everyone falls into the trap that the grass is always greener on the other side. People make mistakes, it\'s part of human nature. If you really love this person it may be in both people\'s best interest to give him or her another chance. Sometimes space makes people appreciate things they once had. You need to make it clear that you forgive one time, and one time only, and if this is what you truly want.

That was what I had done. Though the past still dug its claws deep inside of me, I had to move on since I was honestly tired of hating. Bearing grudges and living in the past weighs on my heart and I want to be free. So, I let it go. I freed myself.

I decided to give?Angela another chance - it was a risk- I know, but I considered it as running an experiment, to see if this would work. If she breaks my heart again, there would be no forgiveness. Ever. Again. She could go to hell for all I care.

"It\'s a big move you made out there," Niklaus nudged me on the shoulder as soon as we left the room.

I cleared my throat, still feeling a bit emotional, "Well, you were glaring holes into my head. What were you expecting me to do?" I grinned at him.

Niklaus snorted, yet drew me into his arms as he asked, "So you don\'t regret cutting short your honeymoon?" he wriggled his brows at me.

I rolled my eyes, what was I even hoping to hear from him? Tsk tsk, my perverted husband. I was just about to give him a deserving response when I heard "Wait!" from behind.

Huh? Wasn\'t that Angela\'s voice? I turned around to see her coming over to me. What the hell was going on? Did we forget something?

"What is it, mother?" I asked Angela, intending to go over to her. Although short, I knew walking this distance was hard for her.

"I wanted to tell you that -"

It was only for a split moment but I saw the panic that crossed her face which made my brows furrowed in confusion. What was wrong?

About to take a forward step, I was stunned when Angela sped over and spun me around. And then I heard it, two gunshots shattering the peace of the corridor.

"Love you,"

I felt the instant the bullets pierced through her body, her grasp on my shoulder tightened so much she was almost suffocating me. But I stood frozen, unable to comprehend what just happened until Angela slid to the ground.

Niklaus was the first to move, he chased after the shooter, his movement aroused me from the trance the shock had induced me into - It all happened too quickly for me to comprehend

"No, no, no!" I shrieked, falling to my knees beside Angela laying in her pool of blood.

"M-mother," I didn\'t even realize when I called her that. I had determined in my heart that I wouldn\'t refer to her like that until she earned it once again, but now I didn\'t care any longer. I could go on and call her mother all day if it meant that this nightmare would turn out to be a dream. But then, this was reality and I was afraid to face it.

"Please don\'t do this to me, don\'t leave me" Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision as I cradled her head on my lap.

I took a closer look at her body, there were two gunshot wounds on her back. I knew instinctively that she wouldn\'t make it but I didn\'t want to acknowledge it. Miracles do happen, right?

"M-my beautiful daughter," My mother had a hard time speaking yet reached out to push away a lock of my hair that got in my face.

"No, don\'t speak," I didn\'t want to hear it. People who were on the verge of death tend to say sweet things to their loved ones before giving up the ghost. I wish I could block my hearing at this point.

"Why didn\'t I realize how special you are?" There were feelings of regret in her tone.

"Somebody, help me!" I ignored her sentiment, crying for help instead.

Suddenly, someone released an ear-splitting scream and I didn\'t have to glance up to know who. It was Kim, she must have heard the gunshot.

"Oh my God!" She bellowed like an injured animal, let go of her son, and ran over to the scene. Kim pushed me away with a great force that I hit my head on the wall behind me, but I didn\'t care, I didn\'t even feel it - I was numb - incapable of pain.

"What did you do to her, you murderer?!" She screamed at my face, uncontrollable tears streaming down her face. I didn\'t take anything Kim said to heart, knowing she was as hurt as me.

She was speaking the truth anyway, I\'m the one responsible for her death. I was not a fool to not notice those bullets were meant for me, my mother must have seen the shooter on time and took the bullet in my place.

Why did she even do that? I asked, even though I knew she was protecting me. I was much healthier and younger, she should have let me take the bullet, I had a much higher chance of surviving.

"You shouldn\'t blame her, it\'s not her fault," Angela told Kim with a reassuring smile that did anything but calm us.

"Mother!" Kim sobbed.

"I w-want you, two sisters, to take care of yourselves while I\'m gone,"

"Don\'t confess that," I said to her barely above a whisper. I was tired. I just wanted to lie down and wake up to realize this was all a dream.

"P-promise me?"

"Mother...." Kim cried further

"Promise me!" She said a little too sternly, vomiting up blood instead.

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Kim and I said at the same time, sharing a brief gaze. We couldn\'t argue at the moment, not when she was like this - her last memory shouldn\'t be of us fighting.

"T-thank you," Angela said, but the way she was staring at me, I knew instantly that the compliment was reserved for me specifically.

"T-tommy," she started to ask for her grandson when a group of doctors rushed into the corridor, led by Niklaus.

Before I had the chance to say another word; to tell her that I loved her too even though I buried the feelings for years and that she had to stay strong to see her grandkids - Allen and Ailee - she was ripped from us by the doctor.

They put her on the stretcher that was rolled in by one of the nurses while the others held back the emotional Kim.

"I want to see my mother," She cried and kept going after them like a fool each time they rejected her.

"Kim, stop it!" I pulled her away but she yelled at me,

"No, leave me alone! I can\'t lose her! I\'ll be all alone if I lose her!" She pushed at my chest.

"No, you\'re not alone. You still have your son to live for!" I drew her into my arms. However, Kim resisted me at first but I refused to let go until she began to weep on my shoulder.

I didn\'t know when Niklaus had her son, Tommy in his arms, the boy must have been shocked at seeing his grandmother in a pool of blood. That must be traumatic for him at that age.

One would ask, how am I so strong? Why am I not bawling my eyes like Kim? Well one word, nothing. I felt nothing but one seething anger.

I couldn\'t wait to get my hands on whoever did this. This time, I would end his or her life with my hands. My hands have never been stained with blood since I haven\'t taken a life yet - father wouldn\'t let me - but not this time. I would torture that person so greatly he wished for death.

Hours later, we found ourselves outside the operating room. Tommy has been sent to our place to stay since Kim lived alone and the boy couldn\'t be on his own with the rest of us here. Kim had calmed down but I knew that was just a facade - she was just holding on to hear the final result.

"How are you feeling?" Niklaus finally asked me. He has been so busy making calls here and there to track down the perpetrator and as well settle the detectives who had come to investigate the scene.

"I\'m fine," I replied.

"You don\'t look exactly fine to me," He pressed, "Reina, don\'t try to hold it in, tell me if something\'s -"

"I said I\'m fine!" I snapped at him unintentionally. I\'m okay, what more does he want to hear or see? Me hugging my knees crying so he could be the perfect husband who consoled his wife?

"I\'m sorry," I took a deep breath, "I\'m just stressed and on edge right now and would really appreciate it if you stopped pestering me with questions," I begged of him

Niklaus was just about to answer me when the surgery light went off and the doctor came out.

"How is she, doctor?" Kim rushed him, a tight frown lining her face.

The doctor took off his surgical cap and even before he said it, I saw it in his eyes - that disappointment.

"We tried our best. I\'m sorry, she couldn\'t make it. Her body was frail and unsuitable for surgery at the first -"

Kim didn\'t wait for the doctor to finish, she fainted while I stood numb, as if nothing that was happening was real.